1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to voicemail and other personal communications telephone services.
2. Background of the Invention
Personal communications services have become a nearly ubiquitous means for facilitating communication between people. Such systems include, e.g., voicemail systems allowing callers to leave and/or retrieve messages at any time of the day or night, and xe2x80x9cone numberxe2x80x9d type services wherein an incoming call is rerouted multiple times until the call is answered by a subscriber or an answering service. Such services generally allow information to flow between parties regardless of the immediate availability or location of each party. These services further simplify the communications process by allowing a service subscriber to give out a single telephone number to all of his or her business or social contacts.
Personal communications services have increased the possibility that a subscriber will receive information from a caller calling the subscriber""s telephone number. However, such services have reduced the personal contact between the parties. In conventional personal communication services when a caller dials the subscriber""s telephone number, an automated system offers a greeting to the caller and requests a response from the caller. The greeting may be a voice message from the subscriber, or a more general message provided by the system. The problem with such conventional personal communication services is that all callers receive the same greeting, regardless of the caller""s relationship with the subscriber. Therefore, the subscriber""s spouse, child, supervisor, close friends, and telemarketers all receive the identical greeting. Thus, subscribers tend to provide generic information in the greeting to avoid disclosing too much personal information to third parties. The problem is further illustrated by the following example.
Suppose a subscriber wishes to provide a general greeting to any unknown callers calling the subscriber""s telephone number. Suppose further that the subscriber wishes to provide more specific information to important existing clients. Such specific information may include, e.g., the subscriber""s home telephone number or address. Suppose further, that the subscriber wishes to greet his or her spouse or child with a more personal greeting. Using conventional services, the subscriber cannot distinguish between callers without maintaining multiple telephone numbers or mailboxes. Because all callers receive the same greeting, the subscriber is forced to choose between providing too many details or not enough details in the greeting.
Some conventional voicemail services can distinguish between internal and external callers, provided the system is operated through a private branch exchange (xe2x80x9cPBXxe2x80x9d). Such systems, however, can only provide two levels of personalization. That is, the caller either is, or is not calling from the same PBX. If the former is true, the caller receives one greeting, and if the latter is true, the caller receives another greeting. Such systems provide no distinction between different internal callers or different external callers.
A system and method is needed for facilitating more personalized communications between callers and personal communications service subscribers.
The present invention is a system and method for providing customized greeting announcements to callers according to instructions provided by a personal communications service subscriber. The invention uses a database for storing specific telephone numbers designated by the subscriber to receive a personal greeting. The invention further allows the subscriber to create different greetings for different groups of callers, and a default greeting for any unidentified callers or those callers calling from a telephone number not listed in the database.
When an incoming call is answered by the personal communications service, the system checks the database to see whether or not the subscriber has identified that calling party number (xe2x80x9cCgPNxe2x80x9d) as a number that receives a personalized greeting. If the CgPN is in the database, the system plays the specific greeting selected by the subscriber for that specific caller (or group of callers if the CgPN is designated to receive a group greeting). If the CgPN is not in the database, the system plays a default greeting to the caller.
The system of the present invention comprises two main components: (1) a server system and (2) a messaging system. The server system comprises the database of designated numbers and a software module (programming logic) for using or manipulating the information contained in the database. The messaging system stores the customized announcements and has the capability to play selected announcements to a caller. The server system and the messaging system could be operated on a single integrated computer system or on multiple computers.
The present invention further provides an automated administration system allowing the subscriber to update his or her personal greetings and the associated list of callers, i.e., designated telephone numbers. To access the administration system, the subscriber calls an access telephone number. When connected, the subscriber may be prompted to provide authentication information such as the subscriber""s telephone number and password. If the subscriber is authenticated, a menu-driven system of options is provided to the subscriber. For example, the administration system may prompt the subscriber to enter a telephone number to be added to, deleted from, or modified in the database.
A telephone service provider may deploy the present invention in the context of the Advanced Intelligent Network (xe2x80x9cAINxe2x80x9d). In this case, a suitable AIN trigger on the subscriber""s line causes the call to be temporarily suspended while the service control point (xe2x80x9cSCPxe2x80x9d) determines the proper routing for the call. In a preferred embodiment, the SCP routes the call to a service node (xe2x80x9cSNxe2x80x9d) based on the AIN trigger and the called party number, i.e., the subscriber""s number. The SN then retrieves the subscriber""s telephone number and the caller""s telephone number and acts accordingly. Once the appropriate personal greeting has been played, the caller may be instructed to leave a message. Alternatively, the call may be disconnected or routed back to the SCP for further call processing. In other embodiments, the SN is not part of the call routing process.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method facilitating more personalized communication between two or more parties.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide subscribers more flexibility to manage calls via a plurality of customized greeting announcements.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method allowing subscribers to offer individual personalized greetings to a plurality of callers.
These and other objects of the present invention are described in greater detail in the detailed description of the invention, the appended drawings and the attached claims.